Pau Torres and Ezri Konsa injury decisions made as Unai Emery drops £13m signing - Aston Villa predicted XI vs Luton Town


Aston Villa are back in Premier League action on Saturday evening as they travel south to take on relegation battlers Luton Town at Kenilworth Road.
Unai Emery's men come into this one on the back of two successive victories, one being a 2-1 win away at Fulham and the other a more recent 4-2 thrashing of Nottingham Forest. The goals are flowing again for Villa and as is the confidence but Luton are fighting hard for positive results of their own.
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Hide AdThe Hatters, managed by Rob Edwards, are four points adrift from safety as it stands so wins need to come sooner rather than later. It was a lot closer in and around the bottom three but Everton have seen their points deduction reduced from ten to six. This has given Luton even more urgency.
Emery is bound to respect that and he'll be sure to guard his players against complacency. One way of helping in that respect will be reducing rotation, though there could still be a change or two to benefit tactically. A decision also has to be made for star defender Pau Torres after he went off with a minor leg injury against Forest.
Aston Villa predicted lineup vs Luton
Here are the 11 players we predict Emery will start at Kenilworth Road, as well as brief explanations for every inclusion.
GK - Emi Martinez
Martinez is without doubt the number one choice goalkeeper at the club and would fit straight into most XIs across Europe, let alone just in the Premier League.
RB - Matty Cash
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Hide AdCash will be looking over his shoulder with Ezri Konsa set to make the matchday squad. For now, though, the Poland international will probably keep his place, with Konsa perhaps starting at Ajax.
CB - Pau Torres
Pau went off against Forest with a small pain in his leg. He’s been training this week, though, and should be fine to start at Luton.


CB - Clement Lenglet
Lenglet was first brought into the XI to help out when Pau was injured but he remains even after Pau’s return as Konsa probably isn't quite ready and Diego Carlos is out.
LB - Lucas Digne
Digne, who started the season excellently before injury troubles, could come in for a start as £13 million man Alex Moreno has been rather inconsistent of late.
RM - Leon Bailey
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Hide AdThe Jamaican is in excellent form and was recently rewarded with a new contract. He should continue to play ahead of Moussa Diaby.
CM - John McGinn
McGinn is the man filling the deep-lying midfield role in Boubacar Kamara’s absence. Tim Iroegbunam will be used only as a substitute, it appears.
CM - Douglas Luiz
Luiz is one of Villa’s players of the season. The Brazilian netted his eighth and ninth goals of the campaign against Forest, further solidifying his importance.


LM - Jacob Ramsey
Ramsey has impressed in recent weeks and he looks fully back up to speed following a host of injuries. Fingers crossed that trajectory can proceed.
ST - Youri Tielemans
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Hide AdEmery has experimented with Tielemans in a shadow striker role this season and that is likely to carry on with the Belgian in top form.
ST - Ollie Watkins
Watkins, with 14 goals and 15 assists in 26 games, has been one of the Premier League’s standout forwards this season.
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